Does My Baby Need A Push Walker?

"Do I NEED a push walker for my child?"

ANSWER- First - a push walker is a walker your child can pull up into standing on their own. It is NOT the same as a sit-in walker (which I don't recommend ). And to answer this, no way!

Push walkers can be great if it's something you want to get for your child, but they are absolutely not a necessity for mastering walking. The pros for me are that they can be used for lots of different things/motor play depending on the style you get, and they can be awesome for encouraging little ones to explore and gain confidence in upright skills!

BUT, there are cons too. Certain children may become reliant on them and then be unwilling to practice the same skills with less support. When it comes to push walkers, I say if you want one, great! Let your child lead its use. Let them explore it how they want to, and if it seems like they are getting a bit reliant on it, don't be afraid to move it out of sight for a bit. If you DON'T want one, also great! Your little will find something else to use as a push walker (like a laundry basket, or their highchair, haha!)

Hope that helps!

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For developmental questions, tips and guidance related to milestones about tummy time, rolling & sitting, crawling and walking, check out KC’s developmental Masterclasses linked here.

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KC is a pediatric doctor of physical therapy, wife and mom of three! She has spent her career working with children and young adults of all ability levels, and currently specializes in birth to three years.